Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm in my 11th year of playing now (9 of those gigging, 5 of those heavily gigging) and I have not broken one single string. Not ONE! I pick very hard and I pluck very hard. I have used the same set of strings for so long that they wouldn't intonate anymore, but no broken ones!

Not that I'm complaining...

So, ever broken one? Not talking about accidentally winding one too much when putting it on. I mean actually broken one while playing!

No.

Nope,not in over 30 years of playing. I can't imagine that happening the way i play. I like my basses/amps set up where there isn't a huge amount of physical exertion needed to get a good sound.

Yes, years ago, but it didn't snap in two like a guitar string, it just kind of sent a quick shockwave through the instrument and got uber-floppy, not even at an audible pitch anymore. It was really just from some of the coiling coming undone or something.

Only once, about 30 years ago, playing with a pick. Never since.

jdogric12 wrote:Yes, years ago, but it didn't snap in two like a guitar string, it just kind of sent a quick shockwave through the instrument and got uber-floppy, not even at an audible pitch anymore. It was really just from some of the coiling coming undone or something.

The same thing happened to me. It was like the core of the string just quit.

Not in a few years, but it has happened quite a bit. Mostly the E, but once the G. Happened both with a pick and fingers.

Just once, many years ago. Same story, the core broke but not the winding. The G string of Rotos on my old Ripper.

I think my story was with a pick, Rotos on an '85 4003 MG BT. Probably been about 5 years ago. I miss that bass.

jdogric12 wrote:I think my story was with a pick, Rotos on an '85 4003 MG BT. Probably been about 5 years ago. I miss that bass.

That was a NICE bass. The one at the beginning of the IRWO album right?

Yes. But only once, and on a new to me Rick 4003. It was a "case queen" and quite possibly the original strings the factory put on in 1984. I went to play it a bit just after getting it, hit the string and it snapped right at the tuner. Like others have said, no flying shrapnel, etc., just went limp...

Twice, in about a two week period, and this was on my first new Rick 4001 that I bought, in the mid '70s. It happened with D'Addario Half Rounds, both times it was the A string, at the saddle, so I looked for a burr but never found anything.

Yes.. 20+ years ago..blew an "A" string... 2nd song in the first of four sets. Having to re-figure 40+ songs on the fly was not something I would reccomend. Also was a poor touring musician and could not afford to buy new strings frequently. Was too dumb to keep an old used set on hand just in case...We were in a small town that did not have a music store either. Had to drive 1 1/2 hours to the nearest store to get new roto's

jdogric12 wrote:I think my story was with a pick, Rotos on an '85 4003 MG BT.

LoL, me too....on a 93 4003 MG, Roto's too. "G" string. Like others have said, there was a pop and the string went limp.
No flying metal or anything, it just unwound.

Around 1983 I broke an "e" using Rotos on my then-new-to-me P-bass. Spectacular break with the string springing up. There was a nasty burr on the saddle - a little filing and no breaks on that or any other bass.